System and method for enabling simulated environment collaboration across a plurality of platforms
A system is provided for allowing users to each individually collaboratively interact with a common virtual simulated environment utilizing a plurality of different devices, such as a two-dimensional computer screen and mouse, three-dimensional Virtual Reality (VR) goggles, Augmented Reality (AR) enabled smart phones, headsets, and game consoles. Both real and asynchronized time collaboration are provided.
1. A system for providing a collaborative simulated environment that allows a plurality of devices of different device types to interact with the collaborative simulated environment while maintaining device-type individual perspectives, the types of devices including at least two of the following device types: (i) Virtual Reality (VR), (ii) Augmented Reality (AR), and (iii) two-dimensional (2D), the system comprising:
(a) a server that maintains the collaborative simulated environment as a multidimensional database, the server configured to:
(i) parse the multidimensional database into discrete and separate simulated environment database partitions, each device type having a respective partition, and
(ii) share a portion of a simulated environment database partition among at least two different devices having different device types; and
(b) a plurality of device drivers, each device driver being used for one of the device types, the plurality of device drivers configured to:
(i) allow the plurality of devices to access the respective simulated environment database partitions that are appropriate for the device type,
(ii) receive and filter simulated environmental data that is appropriate for the device type, thereby ensuring that each device is only provided with the collaborative simulated environment that is appropriate for the device, and
(iii) perform unique customization to transform portions of the simulated environmental data into a data stream that is compatible with each device type,
wherein the server is further configured to:
(iii) review and modify each device driver used for each specific device whenever a specific device accesses the multidimensional database,
the system thereby allowing a plurality of devices having different device types to interact with the collaborative simulated environment.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
(c) virtual three dimensional user interfaces for each of the devices, wherein only the three dimensional user interface associated with a display of each device is visible.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the virtual three dimensional user interface for each device is a three dimensional cube.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of device drivers reside exclusively on the server.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein each device includes respective device hardware, and wherein the plurality of device drivers reside exclusively on the device hardware, each device including only the device drivers associated with the device type of the device.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein each device includes respective device hardware, and wherein a first portion of the device drivers reside on the server, and a second portion of the device drivers reside on the device hardware, each device including only the second portion of device drivers associated with the device type of the device.